Entry Points and Exit Wounds
by Wolfsaint
Summary: Stephany came home for the same reason they did, to bury the only woman in the world who'd ever cared and to reconnect. As the plot thickens, the outcasts of the Mercer clan will begin to realize that the exit wounds are always the worst. Jack/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Starting a new story :) Don't worry, any of you who read my other story, The House that Xavier Built. It is still going strong, but I watched Four Brothers the other day and I LOVED it so I started one of these as well. Mostly follows the movie, some variances and a new character. Let me know what ya think! :)**

She had just come off the stage when she got the call. The phone rang as she sat at her mirror, wiping the insane amount of make-up off her face with a cool cloth. Flyleaf's "All Around Me" blared out so loudly and suddenly from the rectangularish device that with a squeal she hopped two feet into the air and dropped her cloth onto the floor. With her heart hammering in her chest she looked at the number. No, that couldn't be right. That number hadn't popped up on her caller ID for years now. What the hell could he possibly want after all this time?

Wary and a bit suspicious she touched the green button and said, "Hello?"

All hope that someone else might have gotten the number and that it really wasn't him on the other line fled when that gravelly voice replied, "Hey girl, how you been?" It was an innocent enough question and she might have thought nothing of it if it hadn't been so long since she'd talked to him, but even now she could hear the forced lightness in his voice as well as something one didn't hear from him all that often. Tears clogged the man's throat.

"What do you want Bobby?" she demanded with a weary sigh. Funny, how little it took for him to make her so tired.

"What? No hello? No 'great, how bout you big bro'?" he said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I know you, and I know you're not calling just to say hey," she growled into the device. "Just tell me what you need to tell me."

"Fine, have it your way," he said, all humor draining from his voice in an instant. "Ma died yesterday, shot at that little store across from the gym. Funeral's in three days. Show up or don't, it doesn't matter. Just thought I'd let you know." And just like that the line went dead as the world ceased to spin.

A stone cold as ice dropped into her stomach, freezing her from the inside out. She couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't even breathe. Her body was numb as her mind sputtered and whirled. Images danced around in her head, swam before her eyes. Evie, dear, sweet Ms. Evie with her platinum curls and kind blue eyes smiling down at her. Flowers, figures in black, cold stone on a snowy afternoon. A casket.

No, it couldn't be. No! Her mind simply refused to wrap around the concept…refused to put the two together. Ms. Evie and dead. Saying, even thinking the two in the same sentence had to be illegal.

The phone slid from her hand and clattered onto the table, the cover scattering in different directions. It was the noise that finally forced the two parts of that evil sentence together in her head and sent the universe crashing down on top of her. Sure, she hadn't seen the woman in years, but Ms. Evie had given her life long after she'd been sure her soul had deteriorated beyond all hope. She loved Ms. Evie like the momma she never had, and though it had been so long since the two had last spoken, her heart cracked in two as she remembered the last thing she said to her.

"You meant the world to me. Just thought you should know that."

The tears fell like rain that day, as she packed her bags and drove away.

OXOXO

"Been a long time since anybody's seen that face around here," Green murmured to his partner where they were parked just outside the funeral home, watching an old car pull slowly around the corner with a surly, mustachioed face staring out at them with a smirk.

"He must've gotten off for good behavior," Fowler replied sarcastically.

With a glance Green said, "Not likely. That's Bobby Mercer," he opened the rather large manila file folder to the first entry, the same surly looking face staring out at them with the same insolent smirk. "Heavy weight champion fuck up of the family, and that's a well-defended title. Woulda made his daddy proud if he'd ever had one. I used to know him a little. Played hockey with the boy. Got thrown outta sixty-odd games before the league finally had enough of him. They called him the Michigan Mauler." And he looked every bit as menacing as his title, struttin down the sidewalk with the wide-legged stance of the overly confident and overly loud.

"Who's the kid?" asked Fowler, spotting a gangly young man with wild hair and a hand-knitted scarf as he lit a cigarette.

"Ah, that's Jack, the youngest," Green chuckled. "First class fuck up, third class rock star."

"He doesn't look like trouble."

"He's a Mercer. Don't let him fool you." The two watched as Bobby approached young Jack and mussed his hair affectionately. The two turned and disappeared into the house. Green made a thoughtful sound in the back of his throat. "I'd have thought she'd be here…" he murmured to himself.

"Who?" Fowler asked.

"A young woman by the name of Stephany Denèe. Another musician, a rocker. She was Jack's girl for a while, and where he was you could usually find her not far behind. That is, until some kind of falling-out they had a few years ago. She was real close to Evelyn, so I thought she'd be here."

"I don't have a file for her," Fowler said, shuffling through the thick sheaf of paper in his lap.

"Nah, you won't ever see one either. Clean as a whistle, that girl. How she ever got mixed up with a gang like the Mercers, I'll never understand. Wait a minute," he said, leaning forward as the throaty roar of a motorcycle approached from around the corner. The bike whizzed past, sliding gracefully into a parking space. It's rider dismounted and removed her helmet, unleashing a thick mass of platinum hair that stuck out in all directions, managing to look both done and undone at the same time. She turned, and for a moment the two could see her face, pale and smooth with steely gray eyes steadily leaking tears framed by thick dark lashes and smoky makeup. She only stood about a full head shorter than the youngest Mercer, but her hair was level with his nose. "There she is," Green said with a smile as the girl turned and hurried toward the back of the house, ducking her head as she avoided Jack and Bobby clutching her leather jacket closer around her tiny frame.

"And who do we got over here?" Fowler remarked snidely. "Another model citizen, I'm sure." He was eyeing a black man in a black fedora, gossiping with a group of women near the door to the home.

"Nah, actually Jeremiah's alright. He was a rising star of the Union for a while. The man found a cause."

"We got one MIA, I thought you said there were four?"

"Angel? Pretty-boy. Ex-hustler. Soldier. Guess he's a no-show today."

"I don't get it," Fowler exclaimed as the two got out of the car. "If this woman was such a god-damned saint, how'd she end up raising four total fuck-ups?"

"Ms. Evelyn's cycled hundreds of kids out of the foster care system and into permanent homes, and in thirty years she only came across four lost causes. Four delinquents so far gone she couldn't find anyone to take them in, so she did. Trust me, Fowler, these kids are congressmen compared to what they would have been."

OXOXO

Jack followed Bobby through Jerry's house and back out into the snow-covered back yard, where they stood and surveyed the old folks gathered to gossip and socialize after his mother's funeral. Jack felt awkward, and their cavalier attitudes pissed him off. Part of him knew that they weren't really cavalier at all but laughing and gossiping about Evelyn's glory days in an effort to keep from losing it, but that part was tiny and easily silenced. It felt better to be angry right now. The world had done him an injustice, too many injustices, and he was mad at it. So he stood next to his big brother whom he hadn't seen in so long, pressed his lips together and scowled out at the people and pretty pink flower arrangements and fumed. Anger helped keep the tears at bay, and he was tired of crying around Bobby.

But Ma's death wasn't the only thing making his eyes fog up and his throat tight with emotion. It was disappointment too. He'd thought for sure that she would have showed up for Ma's funeral. But then again, he'd thought a lot of things about her that had turned out to be lies. Like when he thought she might actually care enough about him to stick around a while. But she'd turned out to be just like the rest of them. That was the real reason he was disappointed that she wasn't here. He just wanted to tell her off. It wasn't as if he would have wrapped her in his arms without question and whispered in her ear how much he missed her or anything like that. Of course not.

That was when a bright golden flash caught his eye. He turned to peer at the gate around Bobby and his breath caught in his throat. As if his thoughts had somehow conjured her into being, there she was in all of her crazy haired, leather clad glory. Once again he was struck with awe at how someone could look so hard yet so soft at the same time. She was tiny and looked even smaller with her red, tear-streaked face. He'd imagined this moment thousands of times since her departure, but all his preparation fled the moment he caught a glimpse of her gunmetal eyes and he was frozen in place.

"No fucking way," he breathed. Bobby turned and followed his gaze, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Well, shit."

Jack managed to swallow thickly around the lump that was steadily hardening in this throat as the young woman in the leather jacket scanned her surroundings. So far she didn't see anyone she knew. She'd already talked to Jerry and Camille, and she'd seen neither hide nor hair of Bobby or…him. Her eyes roved the backyard and passed over a pair of familiar-looking gentlemen gazing steadily in her direction. Wait a minute…

Her eyes met his and the universe flipped all over again, but this time it went right side up, everything that had gone wrong in her life the past few years settling back into place as she got lost in his eyes. It took everything in her not to sprint across the yard and leap into his arms then and there. The only thing that stopped her was the knowledge that his arms weren't open to her anymore. So she stood there and stared back, hoping she didn't look as awkward as she felt. He certainly did.

Jack stared back at her, wide-eyed and trembling with the effort it took not to fly across the yard into her arms and the sheer, overwhelming joy of seeing her again after all this time. He thought his heart might stop as she took a hesitant step forward.

He was rooted to the spot, unable to move as she slowly came to stand before him, staring up at him as he stared down at her. A fresh wave of tears cascaded down her face as she shoved her hands in her pockets.

"Oh, Jackie," she whispered, and everything he wanted to say to her, all the swearing and raging and anger he imagined he would throw at her vanished, leaving in its place an overwhelming desire for her warmth.

Quick as a flash he reached out and grabbed her, tucking her into his chest and burying his face in the hair on top of her head. After only a moment's hesitation he felt her arms encircle him and her lips peppered his chest with kisses. Between them she murmured to him, "Jackie…I'm so sorry…Please forgive me…I love you…I love you…" He said nothing, only held her tighter. Suddenly his entire, messed up life was alright. With her in his arms, the world clicked into place and he made a vow never to let her go again.

Her face tilted upward and he leaned down to meet her in the barest meeting of lips. He wanted more, and she wanted more, but Bobby chose that moment to be Bobby.

"So you had the balls to show up, did ya?" he growled, shoving her back roughly and fixing her with a glare.

She fixed him with one right back, putting all the heat into it she could possibly manage. Bobby just couldn't hold a candle to the famous Stephany glare and he looked down and away, unable to withstand its intensity. When he looked back at her he was smiling and Steph smiled back.

"Come here," he said, pulling her into a big brother bear hug. "We missed ya, little sister."

While she'd never been adopted by Ms. Evie, the brothers had always thought of her as their little sister and she was glad to see that hadn't changed. "Hey, Bobby. Thanks for the call. I wasn't really mad, just shocked is all."

"I know." He released her and she stepped back into Jack's embrace, breathing in his distinctive scent and trying to convince herself that this was really not a dream. When she stepped away she saw two tiny figures standing alone in the snow. Jerry's little girls.

"Hey, guys!" she said, crouching down next to Jack and Bobby.

"Hey there," he said with that deep, husky voice that made her heart skip a beat. "You must be Daniella." He reached out with his hand and chuckled as the little girl shook it with her left.

"And you must be Amelia!" Bobby said to the dog whose leash Daniella was holding. "Nice dress Amelia!" Steph found herself laughing too. Who knew Bobby was so sweet with kids? The little voice he was using to joke with them was just too much.

Both she and Jack cracked up when the other little girl said indignantly in an even sweeter voice, "I'm Amelia!"

"I know," Bobby crooned. "You guys probably don't remember us, but I'm your uncle Bobby, the pretty one is Stephany and this is Cracker Jack!"

"Don't teach them that, man," Jack protested with a glare in Bobby's direction.

"Come on Jackie, it's cute!" Stephany said with a chuckle, then held her hands up in submission when he turned the glare on her instead, though the grin never left her face.

"You're not my uncles, you're white," Daniella said, brows scrunched together in confusion.

"Momma Evie's white," sweet little Amelia reasoned.

"Yeah, we're a different kind of uncle. Your grandma, she adopted me and Uncle Jack like she did your daddy," Bobby said, but the girls weren't listening anymore.

"You're a policeman!" Amelia exclaimed. The three turned to see Green and some sour-faced white guy with a huge nose striding through the gate.

"You're so smart!" Bobby said before standing along with Jack and Stephany.

"Ya'll are all under arrest so don't nobody move!" Green said, coming to stand in front of Bobby. Stephany's hand found Jack's and gripped it tightly. Though Green was an old friend, cops around the Mercers had always made her nervous. The two parties just didn't mesh well. "Hey, where ya'll goin?" Green said as the girls took off into the house, giggling all the way.

"What about me, Green? You gonna arrest me too?" Bobby asked.

"Well, that depends, Bobby. You keepin straight?"

"Straightish."

Jack glanced down at Stephany and rubbed their hands together to get some warmth back into them. Stephany's gloves actually had fingers on them so they were toasty, but she knew from the sting on her cheeks that his exposed ones would be about numb by now. Never taking her eyes off of Green, she took his hands and sandwiched them between her own, rubbing back and forth vigorously as she breathed on them.

"I know man," Green said, pulling Bobby into a one armed man hug before turning to Jack.

"Jack."

"Green."

"Sorry about your mom, brother. Give me some love." Jack got the same little half-hug, but when Green turned to Stephany she wrapped him up tight with both arms. She'd never been one for half-gestures, but she had been one for affection.

"Hey, Steph. How you been?"

"Better now, Green. Better now," she said with a genuine smile. Green had always been a good friend of hers and she really was glad to see him again.

"Well, I'm glad. What've you been up to lately?" Green asked. She saw Jack perk up out of the corner of her eye and couldn't help but grin.

"Maybe I'll tell ya sometime,"

"I'd like to hear it." Green smiled back at her and she felt Jack bristling beside her. She slipped an arm around his waist and sighed with pleasure as he tucked her in close under his arm.

"Thanks for coming, Green," Bobby said. "Ma would've been happy you made it to the service."

"Your mom would have been happy you made it back for her funeral," Green retorted.

"I didn't come back for no funeral," Bobby said softly. As cold as it was, the temperature dropped a good ten degrees, and Stephany sighed again, this time in exasperation. Bobby hadn't changed. She foresaw a whole mess of trouble for the Mercer family in the near future.

Green looked at the stern man next to him who practically scolded, "Thanks for the offer, but we've got it under control." The whole time the four had been chatting and exchanging hugs, he'd been standing there and watching with this cold, calculating stare that was totally devoid of emotion. He reminded Stephany of a hawk, and though she usually adored hawks, this one gave her the creeps.

Apparently he rubbed Bobby the wrong way too. "Yeah, I know. I could tell by the looks of things when I drove in. The place looks completely different. Detroit's finest cleaned it up, huh?" His voice positively dripped with sarcasm. Stephany hung her head in exasperation and sighed yet again. This was all they needed, to start a war in the middle of Ms. Evie's farewell. She could only imagine the disapproving look the woman would be giving her son right now.

"Hey, be easy Bobby, we got these punks. A kid playing basketball across the street witnessed two gangbangers running in there and shooting up the place."

"Green, I used to make a good living around here cuz cops like you couldn't find tits in a strip joint." Bobby was getting ugly now, and while Stephany's head just fell lower, Jack was trying really hard not to laugh. "So why don't you just come inside, have you some coffee and donuts and then take your boy and get the fuck out of here, ok? Come on," he said, nudging Jack who was really laughing now. The two men turned and walked back inside, leaving Stephany standing out in the cold with the cops, her eyes closed and her forehead resting on her fingertips. She looked up at Green, shaking her head and holding her hands out in apology.

"I'm so sorry Green," she said.

"Yeah, I know Steph," the officer replied, more amused than anything. "Charming guy," he muttered to his partner as the three followed Bobby and Jack inside.

"Has anybody seen Angel?" Stephany asked with a gentle hand on Jack's back.

"Nah," he muttered, shaking his head. He glanced down at her, suddenly not satisfied with such a light touch anymore, so he grabbed her and crushed her to him, knotting his fingers in her hair and resting his chin on top of her head. His stomach began to flutter the way it did when he was fifteen as she squeezed him just as desperately and molded her body to his as if were made for that purpose.

"I'm so mad at you right now. I want to hate you," he murmured for her ears alone. In that voice she heard a thickness that betrayed the true depth of his emotions. She knew because they echoed her own. That same voice that had the power to make her melt with delicious heat, at that moment froze her heart over and then hit it with a hammer.

"I'm so sorry, Jackie," she whispered and was disgusted with the way her voice broke like a child begging for forgiveness. But wasn't that what she was? "I can't ask you to forgive me. I can't ask you to let me back into your life just like that, or at all, so I won't. I'm not going to ask, I'm just going to let you judge me as you will and I'll take what I deserve." About halfway through the tears started to flow freely again as she surrendered her fate to the man whose heart she broke. She seemed to know what he was going to say before he said it.

Pulling back to look her in the eye he said, "Good, because I can't."

Though she was expecting it, she couldn't say it didn't hurt like hell. Just like that, both the people she cared about more than anything in the world were ripped away from her, leaving her raw and bleeding from wounds that would never fully heal.

She dropped her arms down to her sides and stepped out of his reach, eyes fixed firmly on the floor. "Ok. Sorry, Jackie." A whisper was all she could manage without opening the floodgates. She glanced up at him one last time before turning and heading back out the door. She didn't realize he'd followed her out until a rough hand grabbed her arm and spun her around and he was there.

"Wait, I'm not finished yet," he practically growled. She couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes.

"Well, could ya hurry it up? I guess I've got a plane to catch," she choked out around the dam of unshed tears building inside her throat.

"I can't just forgive you," he said, suddenly looking rather awkward.

"You said that already," Stephany snapped, anger boiling inside her like a warm balm for her freezing wounds.

"But," he sighed heavily. Jack Mercer had never been the best at expressing himself, particularly when it came to relationship stuff. He just wasn't the relationship type, and Stephany'd tried to change that about him for years. She was beginning to understand that Jack just didn't have room in his life for someone else. Which is why the next words out of his mouth shocked her to the core. "But I can't just let you walk away again either. I don't think I would make it. Will you come home, Steph?" This time it was his turn for a cracking voice and a single manly tear fell from his eye. He gazed at her with those baby blues, so open and vulnerable. That alone had her convinced. Jack Mercer was vulnerable to no one, but here he was, pouring out his soul for Stephany to see.

There was only one possible answer.

"Of course, Jackie."


	2. Chapter 2

The roar of the Harley shattered the still silence of the Detroit winter's night as it slid to a stop in front of the last house on the street. Stephany took off her helmet and sat back, shivering with pleasure as the calluses on Jack's hands rubbed the bare skin where her jacket had ridden up. She could feel his breath ruffling her hair and his warm, solid form pressed close behind her. She hadn't felt so incredible in years.

"It looks just like I remember," she muttered, half to herself and half to no one. The humble brick house stood as stout and strong as ever, a perfect rectangle aside from parlor area enclosed by windows in the front. And of course the roof which was triangular. Her eyes landed on the second story bay window and held there, beginning to sting again. That had been Ms. Evie's window.

Stephany sniffed loudly and wiped her eyes before dismounting the bike and setting the kickstand. Jack hopped off after her and put an assuring hand on her back. She glanced up at him to give a smile in return, but his gaze was fixed on the bay window on the second floor and his eyes were looking red again. Thankfully, Bobby and Jerry chose that moment to pull in behind her. Jack managed to tear his eyes away from the window so they could both get their things from Bobby's trunk (it didn't all fit in the Harley saddlebags, particularly the guitars).

Stephany grunted as she waded her upper body into the depths of Bobby's cargo hold. Her guitar had slid nearly to the back and she practically had to lie down in the trunk to reach it. Jack certainly wasn't complaining. Her jacket and top underneath slid up her back, giving him a lovely view of the impressive tattoo there. It must have been new, because Jack knew every inch of that body better than he knew his own and it hadn't been there the last time he checked. It was an eagle with wings outstretched as it soared against a star spangled backdrop. The detail was incredible, the tattoo in general very nice. She must have paid a fortune for it. Knowing Steph and her extreme patriotism, she would have spared no expense to become a walking billboard for America.

"This is new," he said, stroking the design with his index finger.

She reached back around behind her to touch it, her fingers brushing his. "Not really," she said as she continued to strain in the back of Bobby's car. "I got it on 9/11 a few years ago. I get it added to every year. Wait till I show you some of the others I got." He could hear the grin in her voice. The girl loved tattoos, and he looked forward to seeing them.

With a mighty groan and a solid heave, the guitar case finally yanked free of Bobby's nasty car. Stephany slung her two other bags over her shoulder and trudged on up toward the house as Jack fumbled with his.

"Nice to be home," Bobby said as Jerry stepped out of his bright shiny Volvo and the three followed Steph to the door.

"So, shit, Bobby, what've you been up to?" Jack asked.

"I'm a freaking college professor, Jack," Bobby snapped. "What do you think I've been doin?"

"I doubt that," Jack mumbled.

"Same old Bobby," Jerry exclaimed, ascending the steps toward the foyer and sticking a key into the lock.

"So what about you?" Bobby turned to Jack and Stephany knew what was coming before it was said. Bobby was predictable when it came to insults. "You still suckin a little cock left and right or what?"

"Uh, I'm gonna take 'Or What' for a thousand, Alex," Stephany said, raising her eyebrows at the two.

"Fucker," Jack mumbled again while Jerry and Bobby laughed. Stephany and Jack couldn't help but smile at the warm fuzziness of family floating around the cold Detroit air. They felt so great just to have everyone back together again that Bobby's gay jokes suddenly didn't have as much bite as they used to.

Jerry was working on the second door when a rich voice sounded from the corner, making Stephany jump a little. "Ya'll ain't right, leaving me out here in the cold like this." Jerry flicked on the light and there was Angel, well dressed as usual, minus the black pouf on top of his head.

"Yo, little brother! You asshole!" Bobby shouted.

"You ought to be ashamed!" cried Jerry at the same time, but Bobby overpowered him.

"I missed my plane," Angel said with regret, but Bobby was already wrapping him up in a big brother bear hug.

"Yeah, you missed our mother's funeral too, jarhead!"

"What's up boy?" Jerry said with an equally large hug.

"Shaved off the afro, huh?" Jack remarked as he got his own Angel hug with a chuckle. Stephany was grinning from ear to ear, all the love in the room making her all kinds of tingly. Brotherhood sure was a powerful thing. "I haven't seen you in forever."

"Yeah, I know." Angel looked at his little brother, unable to stop smiling. It was just so damn good to see everybody again.

"Did you get your teeth whitened?" Jack pricked, leaning in close to peer at Angel's way-too-pearly whites.

"Man, shut up, Jackie-poo," Angel retorted, but there was no venom in his voice, just annoyed affection.

Finally it was Steph's turn. "They look good, man," she said as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Hey, pretty lady," he chuckled and kissed her soundly on the lips. Jack bristled, but that only made her laugh harder.

"Let's get our asses inside, it's cold out here!" she yelled, shoving her way through everyone and scurrying inside. The boys followed suit, only to have all five of them freeze and the earlier feeling of warmth and reunion disappeared as they gazed around at Evelyn's home. What used to be such a loving and inviting place was suddenly nothing but an empty shell. Its caretaker, its heart wasn't there, and Steph got the saddest feeling that it knew it. There was no delicious scent of dinner waiting on the table, no music playing in the background and no Evie, waiting to welcome them home with open arms and sparkling eyes. The tears that rose to her eyes were so familiar by that point that she barely felt them. She just let them flow, standing in the tiny space with four silent men who radiated stillness and cold despair. Angel and Jerry removed their caps as if Evie really had been standing there saying, "Hat's off inside, boys. Have some respect."

Stephany said nothing, but stood silently with tears leaking from her eyes that were trained on the stairs in front of her. She could feel the boys shifting around behind her, looking this way and that, surveying their home that they hadn't seen in years, and she knew they were thinking the same thing she was. Oh how she wished it hadn't taken death to bring them back here.

"I'm gonna get me something to eat," Angel said softly, brushing past her as he shattered the heavy silence. The boys began to move off, Jerry went into the living room and Angel made for the kitchen, but Stephany stood frozen, unable to shake the thick shell of hopelessness forming around her as a waterfall fell from her face. "Are ya'll hungry?" Angel asked. Stephany tried to shake her head, but nothing happened.

"No," Bobby mumbled. "I'm gonna get some sleep. Jack, ya'll take your old room, alright? Angel, take yours. I'm gonna sleep in Mom's room."

Stephany barely registered when someone came to stand close behind her. It was the rough hand sliding beneath her shirt to stroke her eagle tattoo that finally snapped her out of her trance. She whipped around, guitar case ready to knock the shit out of whoever dared touch her so intimately. At the last moment, she recognized Jack's baby blues and pulled back. The guitar case still smacked against his thigh, and he buckled with a hiss of air between his teeth.

"Oh, Jack I'm so sorry!" Stephany cried around her hands covering her mouth in horror.

"Don't worry about it," he groaned, grinning even as he rubbed his thigh and scrunched his face together in pain. "Come on." And he led the way up the stairs and into tiny little room with the tiny little bed he used to call his own. Steph glanced at the whiteboard hanging on the wall between Jack's room and Evies. She caught a glimpse of the words 'Thanksgiving' and 'Family' scrawled messily in blue marker. Hastily she turned her attention to Jack's room as her eyes began to sting once again.

It looked just the way it had the last time she saw it. The walls were still decked with dark posters, the shelves still sloppily stocked with childish things. Sheets of music poked out at odd intervals, the occasional action figure with limbs bent and supernatural angles lay forgotten where they'd been stuck after being played with for the last time. Over there was an opened condom packet. Gross. Over there was what looked to be some math homework with a large red 'F' in the left hand corner. At least it wasn't nearly as messy as he used to keep it.

Jack swiped the condom packet off the shelf with a sheepish smile and tossed it in the trash before tumbling onto the bed, his guitar case and bag clattering to the floor. Stephany set her things down a bit more gently and immediately began pawing through her bag to find some more comfortable clothes.

Jack watched with approving eyes as she turned her back to him and slid the zipper on her jacket down slowly, looking seductively back at him over her shoulder with a coy smile. The spaghetti strap top went next, sliding up her body like fine silk and she like a serpent, smooth and fluid. With each inch the top rose, art was revealed. Some new, some he knew as well as the back of his hand like the tiny, stylized wolf face on her right shoulder blade. The eagle and flag were the biggest though they weren't the only ones, and every piece was spectacularly done. She must have paid a fortune for them.

The top dropped to the floor, her studded belt following soon after with a soft clinking of its metal parts. He could imagine the way her hands looked, deft fingers steadily unhooking the button and sliding down the zipper of her dark grey acid wash jeans. In a sensual motion she shimmied the jeans down around her hips where they too dropped to the ground. Sweetly, languidly she raised her hands high above her head and stretched, arching her back like a cat as she rose up on her tip toes and stepped out her jeans, kicking off her shoes as she went.

Then it was just her standing there in just her lacy white underthings and he wanted nothing more at that moment than for her to turn around and face him. But she didn't. Instead she bent over at the waist and scooped up her t-shirt and faded X-Men boxer shorts and in an instant she was covered, her body hidden from him by the baggy old clothing. Only then did she turn and give a knowing, teasing smile. She looked so relaxed, so at home in his old band shirt in his old room in his old house that for a moment he forgot the reason he was there and it was just like old times. Before she up and left in the middle of the night, before it would be years until he would see her again, before heartbreak and before…

…before Ma…

He found himself unable to even think it, but the mood and sensation of belonging, of home was effectively snuffed out.

Stephany saw his face go from elated and warm to dark and frozen in less than a heartbeat. She sighed heavily and hung her head. She knew what he was thinking, what he was feeling. She was feeling it too. Quietly she padded from the room and stood against the wall beside the firmly closed bathroom door. Bobby must've been in there, so she crossed her arms and waited. She didn't have to wait long before the door opened and a red faced Bobby emerged, sniffing and dabbing his eyes with a finger. If it was anyone other than Bobby on any other occasion she might have teased him, but Bobby never cried unless there was something worth shedding tears over so all she said was, "You alright, Bobby?"

He didn't even notice her until a feather-soft voice asked him if he was alright. His first instinct was to snap that no, he was not freaking alright, but it was Steph and Steph didn't deserve that. He looked down at her with those grey eyes that stood out against dark makeup expecting to find her usual steel. Little Stephany, usually so hard and edgy with her spiked jewelry and tattoos, looked so soft with eyes more akin to clouds than metal and filled with nothing but understanding and concern. He had never loved her more than he did in that moment.

He said nothing, giving her a gentle pat on the shoulder and a forced smile before he moved past her to Jack's room and she made for the room he just left.

"You been cryin in here, you little fairy?" he teased weakly, sitting on the floor with his back against Jack's bed while the boy plucked notes on his old acoustic.

"Leave it alone, man," Jack mumbled, setting his guitar gently on the floor. Bobby heard a rustling of paper and knew that he was rolling up another cigarette. Steph wouldn't be too happy about that.

"Ugh, Jack, do you have to do that in here?" she snapped from the doorway. His only reply was a nod and a snarky smile as he lit the stick and put it in his mouth.

Stephany always hated it when Jack smoked. She knew it was going to kill him one day, but aside from that it just smelled bad. With a groan she plopped down on the bed with her back to the wall and her feet resting on Bobby's shoulders. She tickled his earlobes with her sock-covered toes hoping for a laugh, but he only shrugged and demanded of Jack, "You still makin a lot of racket on that freakin thing?"

"Yeah, still makin a lot of racket," he murmured with a soft smile. "Is it weird in Mom's room?"

"Oh, man," Bobby groaned, leaning his head back. "Way too weird. It's crazy. I mean, everything's exactly the same. She didn't change nothing in this house."

"Did she ever, Bobby?" Stephany asked. "It's looked the same since I first came here." Bobby and Jack responded with soft chuckles.

A figure in the doorway caught her eye and she turned to find Jerry standing there with a grin on his face. "Look at ya'll," he said.

"What?" demanded Bobby.

"Nothing. I'm just happy to see you, man. Happy to see my brothers, that's all. And sister," he added with a grin at Stephany's indignant pout.

"We're happy to see you too Jerry," she said softly.

"I guess I'll stop by the grocery store and grab a turkey or something," Jerry said. That's right, tomorrow was Thanksgiving. "Have Thanksgiving dinner. Let's at least act like a real family."

"We are a real family," insisted Stephany.

Jack said nothing, regarding the three of them with a distant look with his cigarette in hand.

"Mom would like that," said Jerry. She would. Stephany thought she really would.

Just then Angel came tromping around the corner, dressed for an evening out in his best jeans, clean white shoes and a neat cap.

"Where do you think you're going?" Jerry asked him.

"It's a little heavy in here, Imma just go outside and get me a little air."

Before he'd even finished, the room exploded in laughter, Bobby's being the loudest as he tossed his head back. Just as sure as Angel could sniff that girl out from a mile away, his family could sniff out his lies even better. It had only been a matter of time before decided to go get her.

"You're full of shit, man!" he cried. "You can smell that ass from down the street, huh?"

"What are you talkin about?" Angel demanded.

"What do you mean, 'what'? Come on, 'what'? Man, you know exactly what we talkin about with La Vida Loca."

"Ain't nobody goin to get no La Vida Loca nothing!" Angel insisted a little bit to vehemently.

"She got a boyfriend," Jerry reasoned.

"She got a boyfriend," Bobby echoed. "She got hard dick in her right now, she's screamin somebody else's name and the last thing she's doin is thinkin about your black ass. Leave it alone, man," he snapped. Jack, being the dumb boy he was, laughed his ragged little head off, scrunching his toes and drawing his knees up with the force of it. Stephany eyed him warily, as if he'd gone off the deep end.

"I can't believe ya'll are coming at me with this crazy junk, man."

"She's nothing but trouble."

"I'm standing here telling ya'll right now, I'm not going to see that girl, and I'm not!" Angel shouted before turning on his heel and stomping away, swiping a hand at them as he did.

Stephany shook her head and chuckled. Oh, Angel and his dramatics. The warm, squishy surface beneath her feet began to move as Bobby stood.

"I gotta get some sleep," he mumbled.

"Me too," Jerry agreed. "I gotta get back home. See you guys tomorrow." And he was gone.

Bobby paused by the door, turning back to look at them. When he glanced at her she saw something in his eyes. A glint of…something that she'd never seen there before, and it puzzled her. "It's really great to have you guys back. Good night," he said softly and seriously with a tired smile before disappearing into Evie's room. It was the most serious thing he'd ever said to her, and she had to admit she kind of liked it. Too bad it took Ma's death to bring that side out of him, if only for a little while.

"Night, Bobby," she called after him. Tucking her knees up to her chest, she rested her chin on top of them and wrapped her arms around her legs.

"I am too, you know," Jack's voice, soft and husky sounded from behind her.

"Am what?" she asked.

"Glad to see you."

She turned to look at him, tears again springing to her eyes but she blinked them back. "I'm glad to see you too, Jackie. I—I love you." she stammered. It'd been a long time since she'd said those words to anyone. Jack's reaction always varied, though the one thing he never did was say it back. Stephany had never worried about that until now, never needed the words to tell her what she already knew but as she watched his face darken at her words she knew those days were over. There would always be a hint of doubt on both sides that no words could ever truly erase.

"Then tell me why you weren't here," he practically growled at her, his eyes flashing as he extinguished his cigarette and flicked the butt across the room.

Stephany shut her eyes tight, a shield against the waterfall she'd become today. Memories flashed behind her lids in a dizzying montage as excruciating as it was brief. "I had a good one, Jackie. Can't you just trust me on that?" she found herself saying.

"Not anymore. I don't think I can trust you with anything. Who's to say you won't just disappear in the middle of the night the next time the urge hits you?"

The bed shifted under her with a soft creak and she opened her eyes, unfazed when she found his face inches from hers. His blue eyes flashed like lightning in a rainstorm, his anger buffeting her like the gale that accompanied it. She became bamboo, bending under the force of it but refusing to break.

"Only me, but you've already said you don't trust me so I don't expect you to believe it," she murmured. "I can't ask you to forgive me, I can't ask for your trust again after what I put you through. But I can ask you this: What do you want?"

"I don't know yet," he said looking fixedly at his blanket.

"Ok," Stephany said, finding the blanket just as interesting as Jack did.

She didn't have long to marvel at its interestingness, for in the next second her head was grabbed urgently but gently by wide strong hands and capable lips captured hers in a kiss so sweet and dire it made her teeth ache. She twisted into him, her hands gripping his waist as her lips parted and she tasted tar and other chemicals that made her want to gag but it'd been so long since they'd been this close that she sucked it up and pressed closer.

"I wish I could just hate you and be done with it."

And the building passion of the moment came to such an abrupt halt she could have sworn she heard the screeching of tires on pavement. Stephany pushed away from him, doing her best to hide the true depth of her despair. If he wanted to hate her, she could hardly blame him and she would do her best to let him go gracefully.

"Do you really want to hate me Jackie?" she asked in a voice barely above a whisper, her eyes fixed on the blanket once more. The hope she'd been unwilling to allow herself to feel crashed down on her, having snuck up on her without her permission. She had just begun to heal, the deep wound in her soul just beginning to stitch itself back up when he'd exploded back into her life just long enough to tear her apart again. Life really sucked.

"It would be easier," Jack mused. "But I can't. I wanted you to come back too much. The part that wants to hate you is smaller than the part that just wants to kiss you so silly you won't be able to leave."

Against her better judgment the hope returned, a bird with warm wings fluttering inside her chest. She glanced up at him and thrilled at his smile. She found herself unable to keep his infectious good mood out.

She smiled back, leaning forward as she spoke. "And I hope that bigger part of you remembers that that's all he's gonna be getting, if he gets it at all."

Jack rolled his eyes. "He does." Steph didn't put out. She always said she was saving herself for marriage. Jack wasn't too happy about it—ok, scratch that. Sometimes it downright infuriated him, but—and he couldn't believe he was saying this, it just sounded so…mature…ugh—he cared about her and didn't want to lose what he had by pushing too far.

"I would be glad to give that bigger half what he wants, but he's going to have to brush his teeth first. He tastes like an ash tray." Stephany quipped.

Jack grumbled, but got up anyway. Another thing he remembered about Stephany was her distaste for cigarettes. He brushed his teeth quickly, but she was already asleep when he returned, snuggled under his blankets and snoring lightly with her platinum hair falling over her face and shoulders wildly. He smiled softly and crawled into the bed beside her, throwing the blanket over them both and wrapping his arms around her. His last thought before he lost consciousness was that he wasn't ever letting go again.

**How was that? Sorry if the canon characters are off, I'm trying to stick to them as much as I can. Anyhow, reviews are love! **


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